Petunia Plant Named &#39;Flortunpimorn&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Flortunpimorn’, characterized by its pink and white bi-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/125,383 filed Jan. 20, 2015.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Petunia×hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Flortunpimorn’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Flortunpimorn’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Quedlinburg, Germany during May 2009. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Petunia cultivars with single-type flowers, unique flower coloration and patterns, and compact, semi-upright growth habit.

The new Petunia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection coded 4107-2, not patented, characterized by its light pink-purple colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection coded 4240-1, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers having a light pink star, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during April 2010 in a controlled environment in Quedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since April 2010 in Quedlinburg, Germany; Arroyo Grande, Calif.; and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Flortunpimorn’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant:

1. Pink and white bi-colored flowers;

2. Medium green-colored foliage; and

3. Moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female and male parents primarily in flower color and pattern and in having a more compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Petunia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Sweetunia Strawberry Morning ‘Dueswebermo’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,672. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Dueswebermo’ in at least the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color pattern that is different from plants of ‘Dueswebermo’; and

2. Plants of the new cultivar have an inner surface corolla tube color darker than plants of ‘Dueswebermo’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Flortunpimorn’. The plants were grown in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse in Arroyo Grande, Calif.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Flortunpimorn’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Flortunpimorn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in April 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in Arroyo Grande, Calif. in 4.5-inch pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures averaged 65° F. (18° C.) during the day and approximately 50° F. (10° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Flortunpimorn. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding             selection coded 4107-2, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection             coded 4240-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, semi-upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 19.0 cm. Width: Approximately 47.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal             branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:             Approximately 5.         -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 19.5 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 1.9 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent             with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color:             Colorless. Color of young and mature stems: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 16. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin:             Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 3.2 cm. Width             of mature leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless. Color of upper surface of young and mature             foliage: 137A with venation of 144B to indistinguishable.             Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest             to 138B with venation of 144D to indistinguishable.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately             3.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color:             144B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Flortunpimorn’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             10 to 12 days. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 54. Fragrance: Slight.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 12.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:             Approximately 3.6 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately             7.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color             of petals: NN155A with venation of N137D. Color of tube:             145C with venation of N137D and 144A and 146A.         -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 5.6 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.             Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire, wavy. Apex: Acute. Length             from tube: Approximately 2.5 cm. Length of free portion:             Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:             Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color             of upper surface when first open: NN155D with an overlay of             68B to 68A streaked with 70B, overlay color more intense             surrounding midveins, midveins of N77A. Color of lower             surface when first and fully open: NN155D lightly tinted             with 68B, midveins of closest to 144A. Color of upper             surface when fully open: NN155D with an overlay of 68B to             68A faintly streaked with 70B, overlay color more intense             surrounding midveins, midveins of closest to but lighter             than N77A.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.2 cm. Diameter at             distal end: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at proximal end:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland             color: Colorless. Color of inner surface: NN155A with a             heavy overlay of N79A, venation of N77A. Color of outer             surface: NN155A with a heavy overlay of N79A and venation of             146A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color             of upper surface: 137A. Color of lower surface: 137B             transitioning to 144A at base.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to             stem. Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color:             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5,             basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Filament             length of fixed portion: Approximately 1.0 mm. Filament             color: NN155A. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 156D with N79A where             filament attaches. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil             length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma             length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 146D with funnel             portion tinted with N79A. Style length: Approximately             1.8 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary length: Approximately             4.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Petunia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Flortunpimorn’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 